Illuminated sign construction



Aii 23, 1932:

J. W. HARRIS ILLUMINATED SIGN CONSTRUCTION Filed March 28y 1931 Patented Aug. 23, 1932 UNI n? ST E a w-ee ifii to a i n TRI'CA'L' rnonoo'rs CORPORATION, LTD, F WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORA-- IION OF DELAWARE Application filed. March 28,

My invention relates to sign constructions and has particular reference to a transparent sign in which the sign indicia appears as a luminous outline in a transparent background. I have discovered that in the practice of constructing signs employing'tubular lamps bent into the configuration of the de sired sign indicia, a pleasing and effective sign may be formed by suspending the tubular '30 lamp or lamps upon a transparent background.

It is, therefore, an object of my invention to provide a sign construction in which a tubular lamp outlining the sign indicia is secured to and supported upon a transparent background device.

Another object of my invention is to provide a sign construction as defined in the prengceding paragraph in which a pair of glass plates are arranged upon opposite sides of a tubular lamp and in which the lamp is supported upon one of the plates in spaced relation to the edges of the plate. ,o Another object of the invention is to pro- 25 vide mounting means for a sign construction embodying a pair of transparent plates between which is secured a tubular lamp and in 1 which the supporting device constitutes a :spacer for the plates and a terminal support so through which electrical conductors may be connected to the tubular lamp.

Other objects of my invention will be apparent from a study of the following specifi- 1,. Cations, read in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein Figure 1 is a front elevational View of a sign constructed in accordance with my invention; and

Figure 2 is an end view of the sign construction illustrated in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, I have illustrated a sign construction comprising a pair of plates 1 and 2, these plates being formed of transparent or translucent material, such. as clear glass, or glass which has been tinted or otherwise colored.

The plates 1 and 2 are illustrated as being the same size and shape the shape illustrated being that of a rectangle. The two plates 1 and 2 are illustrated as being joined together ILLUMINATEID" sien' eons jafi m'ion' 1931. Serial'No. 526,600. 7

oill-fli-Z llni all. 11mm l. I111; UIQJQULKH nthe -Warm c m rs astby, SRPPQfi IlgublQQkQ 3 ends. 'llhe s pporting. blocks fi 'and may; be constructed of any suitblemeterielfi and ach c mprises aibari mot Substanti lly r qt ng l r ross see i n hafl e a downwardlfidfiplldillg111g .Q such-thicker ness as is desired for the spacing betweenthe P l e l3pd;2-;-' i .J;. .71:E 1; s}

E The lug Q is illustratecl:asgbeing somewhat hinne thanr hel r .5; ogas .tiopermit the; 12 3 931 and Z p be fiushwith. theouter ed es of the bar 5 when engaged firmly; against the lug 6. A suitable bolt 7 passing through :both Pla s- \l. and ,Znudt e lug 6 hol s theisev ral nembe 'simaS m lair sit n :A upstanrle ing 11 g .8. ermed upq it ey ar 5-i1ln y;be Lem- P d 9 91 ngegaw a lc supp rting-chain- Q by yyhicl theentire sign construction may be susp nded. r11. 3 v. 211.51.:

3.111s lQWe s me mfathe pl es .1 and 21am lu tr ed 13$ b ingxs fillm i together as ;by-. means Qibol t passing hroug t eutwo plates; and: havinga spacer sleeve 11 thereon. ainsu athe su st nti lly samespacingloitm MYWIiQ tgQS f. t e p a s asthat-nr r d y the lug'6 for the upper edges ofgthe plates; :1.

.l e tgibulagr lam 12 lisiillustratcdzasi lieing 9 il fio' h Q FHl: lflilz il g the/desired! sign. l m Ji l-the il ust tioninFig-s1, this ins. dicia is repr ent dlby the wordifSignZs .The reanplate lmayi be dr ll d, afi'z silndicfitednfitd- 3,. ots mt the,pas ag wth rethrouglaof a r tie-Mire ltisurroundingfithe u ular-lamp .12 qscc re thez mp to h rear plate ofthe Sign. As m ny.- Qfi thetiewv r s 15% a ne y o erpent. rrmo lamps. ILWhiChathe indicia may be for1ned,= 1 nay beemployedz; t

l h EIlPPlY 0i; el t ical :Cmrentto; theta-. ula ,lainp ay. b ru ab y; connected to the; lampsg as by connectingitheflterminals'lifi and 16 of the lamp to a suitable electric power super; F yby ml- 3 1QQ dl tQI$ 17; anda-18.1. The conductors, ll rnay loe of relatively fine; Wire-1, SQ o besr ant y invisiblewhen. the; g SaY QW an -i p f ably lextencledi" through an opening 19 the supponting. bar 5 from, which, an;, enclosing insulatin u 20, may ex nd JLPWMZMMstoisurrounda henr relZ andrr rerly nsl l t e against possible contact withfthe chain 9 or me meansTTf other supporting device when conductor 1 17 must be carried to some remote point for connection to thenec'essary transformer and their electric/controlling devices which may be employed in connection with my sign.

Itwill=be understood that'where desired,

the rear plate may be omitted and the lamp '7 12 may be attached to the rear side of the front 1 1 plate thereby forming a lighter constructionv I than that'which will "be formed bythe use of bothfront and'rear plates.

, 'With the vconstruction herein illustrated and described the appearancelo f rthe sign V a H U when in use is that the indicia is s uspendedby... e some invisible means, the transparent, plates? permitting vision directly therethrough sof that*the tubular lamp is apparently unsupported in space. The entire feature maybe given a pleasing appearance by properlyse looting-the colors of the illumination 'pro ducedby the tubular. lamp and by selecting the color o'f the transparent plates iffcolor is desired for'the same j; a

While I have illustrated a d de scribed' the preferred embodiment of-myinv'entiom -I do not desiretogbe limited to any'ofthe details shown or'describe'd' herein,except as defined in the appended'claim's;

"I claimz r p I 1. Ina sign construction employing tubular v lamps," a pair o f transparent plates," means securing said: plates'i n spaced paihllel relation toje'a'ch other 'cbmpnisihg a 7 block of its.

'sulating material'r'estingupon the edges of said plates and having a depending tongue extending between said plates to constitute a spacer therefor', m'eans on said block for" s'e curing' a support thereto ,--a tubular "lamp forming" si'g'rfi'ndi'cia imposed in the space between said! plates, and electrical conductors current to'said lamp. W e

1 .2. In a sign construction employing a tubular lamp, a pair of transparent plates, means secured tosaiid insulating block for supplying 1 .7 securingisaidlplates in spaced parallel rela- 7 tion to eachjotherrcomprising a block of in- 'sula'tingi'material resting upon the edges of said plates and having a depending'tongue extending between said plates to constitute a v spacer therefor, a tubular lamp forming sign indicia secured in the space between, said plates, meanson said block for securingj a support thereto, and an opening through the 1 block alineable with the space between said glass for passing anelectrical conductor lamp. u I 7M 7 3. In a sign construction employing a tubu l ar lamp, a .pair of transparent plates, means securing said plates in spaced-parallel relatherethrough to connect withsaid tubular *tio'n to eachother comprising a block of insulating material resting upon the edges oisaid 7 plates and having a depending tongue ex tending between said plates to constitute'a" spacer therefor, a tubular lamp forming sign this 16 

